The Book of Wood Carving, C.M. Sayers

[Bill Whig]

I just got the book in the title yesterday. It seems very nice and having read through the first few projects, I am encouraged. It suggests that one may do the 34 projects in the book with just 5 gouges:

London Scale:

3/8" #39 parting V tool
(the rest are "straight" gouges)
7/8" #3
5/8" #5
3/8" #7
3/8" #3

Learning, calculating and and "guessing", I equated these to the folloing Pfeil tools:

13/10
2/22
4/16
6/10
2/10

How did I do (I already corrected a few mistakes...lol)? I own no gouges at all yet and may buy these.

By the way, the book was originally published in 1942 so it may be more difficult to get some of the wood for the projects now than it was in 1942. Will I find reasonable carving woods at Lowes or Home Depot?

Has anyone else here worked through any of the book? Other comments?

Thanks!
Bill

[mpounders]

Here is a link to a nice chart of Pfeil gouges. You might compare the profiles in the book to these.
Pfeil Tools Chart

Reasonable carving wood at Lowes or Home Depot? They don't have basswood, but I guess it depends on what kind of wood you are wanting to carve! You could probably find oak or cedar or pine or poplar, but these can all pose problems that might discourage someone starting out. Oak is tough to carve, cedar and pine splinter and split, and while poplar is softer than some woods, it still poses some issues. You can get a box of assorted basswood from Woodcraft for $10 along with your Pfeil tools. You can usually find some carving books at the library also. If you get stuck on something be sure and post your questions here....I'm sure someone will have an answer for you.